Dallas Cowboys Blog

Jerry Jones: Dez Bryant injury not related to WR playing basketball

Jerry Jones said he has restricted Cowboys players in the past from participating in recreational sports not related to football.

But Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is not one of them.

Bryant left practice Monday with an apparent leg injury, which led to an MRI on his right knee. The results showed no structural damage, according to Jones. The diagnosis is patella tendonitis and the method for recovery is rest.

The Cowboys owner and general manager said Tuesday morning that he doesn’t believe the injury has anything to do with Bryant’s penchant for playing basketball frequently during the off-season.

“He’s a young player and should be able to do about anything that he wants to do,” Jones told the New School show on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “I don’t think it has anything to do with anything away from football.”

Bryant’s return date is unknown but he isn’t expected to play against the St. Louis Rams in the Cowboys’ preseason game Saturday at Cowboys Stadium.

“It sounds like he’s going to be fine,” Jones said. “We’ll see how it works. I would think he’s probably going to be limited this weekend. We were quite relieved that he didn’t have any structural damage there, and that’s a good thing.”

Jones added: “In a way, it doesn’t surprise me because of how much work he has gotten in. I don’t know that I’ve seen anybody have as many reps and make those reps with the intensity and the effort he’s made.

“It just seems like every play he runs out there is a Super Bowl play, which means all-out effort. That’s exciting and it really has us all encouraged. He’s working hard.”